Charmianne joined UNU-MERIT on 1 April 2008 to work as a Researcher for the research theme of Innovation, Global Business Strategies and Host Country Development (coordinated by Geert Duysters).Charmianne holds a PhD in Organization Science (2003). Her PhD thesis focuses on the innovative performance of R&D alliance networks in the microelectronics industry. She holds a master degree in International Business Studies (cum laude) from Maastricht University.

Her main research interests are in strategic alliances, alliance networks and network analytical methods, innovation strategies and alliance capability development. She worked as Assistant Professor for the department of Organization Science and Marketing (Faculty of Technology Management) at the Eindhoven University of Technology. She has published in several international journals and books on alliances & innovation and has been teaching master courses in alliance management.

Charmianne's work experience is not only academic; before she joined UNU-MERIT, she worked for several years as Consultant Strategic Alliances for the Philips Alliance Office at Philips International Headquarters in Amsterdam. Her job was to improve and institutionalize Philips' alliance capabilities in the Domestic Appliances, Lighting and Consumer Electronics divisions. She also worked as Marketing Manager Home and Export markets for a babycare products company called Difrax in Bilthoven.